OREANDA-NEWS. Panasonic Corporation announced that it will expand its LED lamp lineup in Europe to offer as many as 55 models this year as the company aims to increase sales in the European LED lighting market it entered in 2011.

With the expanded selection of products, combined with its industry-leading, cutting-edge LED lighting technology cultivated in Japan, Panasonic aims to achieve 15 billion yen in sales from its LED lighting business in Europe, including lamps and devices, in the fiscal year from April 2015 to March 2016.

In Europe, where people take pride in being environmentally conscious, the shift towards energy-efficient LED lighting is well underway. The German business-to-consumer LED lighting market, for example, doubled in size in 2012 compared to the previous year.

Since introducing a 20W equivalent clear-type LED lamp in Europe in 2011, which was followed by a 40W version in 2012, Panasonic has seen steady sales growth in the European LED lighting market. The company is now strengthening the lineup with more offerings in an affordable price range as well as a wide variety of styles, from clear-type bulbs to conventional bulb-shaped lights, candle-shaped lamps and halogen-type lamps.

Panasonic is also expanding its sales channels. The company, which had focused on the business-to-business market until now, is adding DIY shops and mass retailers of home appliances to its sales network. The expansion is currently under way, mostly in Germany, Italy, Austria, Benelux and France, with an aim to further expand the sales network throughout Europe in fiscal year 2015, ending March 2015.

Panasonic's LED light bulbs have been highly appraised in eco-conscious Europe for their excellence in energy efficiency, long lifespan as well as outstanding design. They were chosen to replace around 10,000 incandescent light bulbs used to light up chandeliers and under the eaves of Prague Castle, helping make the UNESCO World Heritage site in the Czech Republic environmentally friendly and easy to maintain with its historic atmosphere kept intact. The replacement of the incandescent bulbs with energy efficient LED bulbs has led to energy savings of around 77%.